Political Science (POLI) 580

Introduction

Welcome to Political Science 580: The Politics of Cyberspace, a graduate course that combines printed course materials with online discussions and assignments over the span of fifteen weeks.

The Politics of Cyberspace explores the emergence of the networked society, the information technology revolution, and the consequences for power, production, and culture as examined by such disciplines as political science, political economy, sociology, and communications. Throughout, the course views new information technologies as contested terrain that facilitates domination and resistance, fear and hope.

Beginning with the information technology revolution and its effects on structures of power, the course examines how these technologies disperse power from the state and, in the process, move us from a surveillance state to a surveillance society. At the broader level, as these new information technologies challenge state power, they make possible the global restructuring of capital. While capital and civil society organizations have rapidly adapted to the logic of a networked society, the bureaucratic state struggles to adjust. Moreover, the creation of a global informational economy has met with increased resistance from those who view it as a form of domination. These include such different movements as the Zapatistas of Mexico, the anti-corporate globalization movement, and Al-Qaeda.This resistance, like the global information economy it struggles against, is assisted by new information technologies.

This course also explores the effect of informational technologies on the democratic processes of the state, its political institutions, its administration, and civil society. It looks at, in particular, such Web features as political blogs and their impact upon the political process.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, students should be able to assess critically how the information technology revolution has

1. reshaped power and economic production on a global scale.
2. facilitated globalization in the form of a new informational economy.
3. assisted globalization in the form of resistance from networked civil society organizations and social movements.
4. made possible the creation of alternative identities.
5. transformed understandings of space and time, and created new political space.
6. influenced democratic processes, political institutions, administration, and civil society.

Course Structure

POLI 580 is made up of the following 11 units:

• Unit 1: Introduction
• Unit 2: Big Brother Downsized—From the Panoptic State to the Panoptic Society
• Unit 3: The Informational Economy and the Process of Globalization
• Unit 4: The Rise of the Networked Organization
• Unit 5: The Global Informational Economy, the State, and Culture
• Unit 6: Globalization, ICTs, and the Politics of Resistance
• Unit 7: Patriarchy and Feminism in the Information Age
• Unit 8: Digital Democracy: Concepts and Issues
• Unit 9: Digital Democracy, E-Governance, and E-Government
• Unit 10: Digital Democracy, Political Parties, and the Political Process
• Unit 11: The Future of ICTs: Control or Emancipation

Student Evaluation

Students should be prepared to devote the time necessary to complete the various activities in this course: reading actively and critically; writing succinct, critical answers to study questions and student postings; researching and writing academic papers that are both critical and integrative. To help students develop these skills, the course professor will provide feedback on each activity. Students are expected to demonstrate a willingness to work.

Each student will be assessed on his or her participation in the online discussions, a reaction paper and moderated online discussion, a critical essay, and a term paper proposal and essay. Additional details about the online activities are noted in the "Course Guide"; as well, the course professor will use Tuesday of each week to post comments or updates online. Information to complete the written assignments is provided in the "Assignment File" section of this manual.

To receive credit for this course, students must participate in the online activities, successfully complete the assignments, and achieve a final mark of at least 60 per cent. The Master of Arts-Integrated Studies grading system is available online at the MAIS home page. Please note that it is students' responsibility to maintain their program status. Any student who receives a grade of "F" in one course, or a grade of "C" in more than one course, may be required to withdraw from the program.

The following table summarizes the evaluation activities and the credit weight associated with each evaluation activity.